CrossRoads

They ran through alley ways as secretly as they could. No one spoke a word to one another. Nzingha’s eyes searched for landmarks that she would recognize. The smells of baked goods made her stomach grumble. Buildings of stone soon disappeared, and were replaced by wooden structures. Izyan took them through the labyrinth of the cities alleys. A cool breeze carried salt through the air.

“Where are we going?” Nzingha asked.

“There are some warehouses not in use at the docks” he answered.

Izyan led them towards a warehouse with the number 39 splashed on the side. He reached for a plank and twisted. The wood groaned as if being awoken from sleep. Finally he pulled it, and a couple of boards next to it. Everyone slipped into the new door before he closed it back. The smell of the sea, and old must whirled around them. Dust flew with every step, and every blow of the wind entered through the building many holes. Gerik walked towards an old waste can, removed the black cloth from around his head, and threw up. The bile burned as it came forward. He wiped his mouth.

“Are you ok” Izyan asked.

“He throws up after killing people” Nzingha answered for her brother.

Nzingha looked at her brother. Water streaks were apparent on his face because of how dirty his face became during the escape.

“That’s another one I failed to save” Gerik told her. He swung his fist towards a plank, breaking his fist through it, and getting his wrist scratched up from the board. If he felt it, he acted as if he noticed.

“It’s not your fault” Nzingha consoled.

“It’s the same thing that happened to mom and dad. It was a replay” He yelled.

Fletcher stirred from the sounds of talking. He opened his eyes and stood.

“Uncle Izyan where am I?” Fletcher asked.

“In a warehouse, but how are you feeling?” Izyan asked while staring at Gerik. “Ive seen that face before” Izyan thought to himself.

“My whole body is sore, but I will live” Fletcher answered. He stopped and looked around, “where is Felicity?”

Izyan’s face dropped “They took her” he replied solemnly.

“Wait no” Fletcher screamed. “Why didn’t you save her?”

“We tried, but she sacrificed herself so that you would live” Nzingha said from behind him.

Fletcher turned to face her “who the hell are you?” he yelled.

“I’m Nzingha and that’s my younger brother Gerik” she told him.

“Then why didn’t you try to save her harder?” Fletcher screamed taking a dangerous step towards her with a clenched fist.

Gerik moved so quickly, so stealthily, and his fist came so strong that Fletcher had no defense. Gerik’s fist hit Fletcher in the jaw and Fletcher fell.

Fletcher stood up, and looked Gerik in his eyes. Fletcher’s anger matched Gerik’s, and the anger both felt flowed to the other.

“Both of you calm down with your who’s dick is bigger contest” Nzingha scolded.

Gerik turned around and walked off to another part of the warehouse. He found a sliding door. He slid the door back, and entered a big storage room. He removed his sword out of its sheath, and looked at it. The sun poked its light through some of the holes. His sword caught some of the rays and reflected them at boxes stacked against the wall. Gerik walked towards the boxes and moved them throughout the room. Gerik took off his shirt, and closed his eyes. He thought about his dad walking towards the church hunters with his sword out, he thought of his mom throwing the kitchen knives killing many monks, and the little girl walking towards the monks today. He forced all those thoughts out his mind. He attuned his body to his soul. He swung his sword left, right, and stabbed outward. He flowed through his dance, incorporating the boxes. He jumped on a box; jumped again to do a roundhouse, back flipped off the box, and rolled over another one.

“Calm down Fletcher” Izyan told him.

“That b*****d just hit me, my little sister was kidnapped, and that little kid did more to save my sister than I did” Fletcher said. He looked at his uncle with defeat. “I should have listened.”

“The church attacked while your parents were out of the country. They got a ball that’s for sure” Izyan thought aloud. He focused on his pipe and started smoking.

Nzingha pulled her scarf from over her head, she ran her hands through her hair, and stretched her aching legs.

Fletcher looked at Nzingha good for the first time. He found her more beautiful than anything he has ever seen, “I’m sorry for what I said” Fletcher told her

“I apologize for my brother because he won’t” Nzingha said.

“She completely didn’t accept my apology” Fletcher thought.

“My brother is a passionate kid. If he says or does something, he stands by it regardless. It’s a trait he picked up from dad” Nzingha replied.

“You both look familiar to me” Izyan told her.

“I have never seen you. Or been in this city before” she told him.

“I have to go save her” Fletcher interrupted.

“That would mean fighting a ton of monks” Izyan told him.

“I don’t care, I know where I can get help” Fletcher said.

“Get help from whom, the rebellion?” he asked.

“No, Ceri’s dad will help me” he answered.

“Ha that fat fool won’t help” Izyan laughed.

“Besides you all will help me also right?” he asked.

Nzingha looked at him “No.”

“Why not?” Fletcher asked. His expression showed he was desperate.

“My brother and I will not put ourselves at risk for a fool we just met”

“So you help me, and then leave me to fend on my own?”

“We have no obligation to you. Just be happy that my brother convinced me to help you” Nzingha said.

“You are beautiful and vicious. I think I like you young lady” Izyan said smiling.

“Thank you sir,” she turned to Fletcher “I’m sorry but I won’t risk our lives.”

Nzingha walked off with Fletcher and Izyan behind her. They pulled back sliding door, and saw Gerik in the middle of his dance.

“What is he doing?” Fletcher asked.

“Dance of phantoms” Nzingha answered.

“What is that?” he asked.

“It’s the name of his dance. Father told us that we must find ourselves in combat, and if we can then we will never lose sight of what’s important. He practices this everyday” Nzingha explained.

“You said that’s the name of his dance, so what’s the name of yours?” Fletcher asked.

“Dance of the storm” she replied.

Gerik landed after spinning in the air. The golden tassel flowed with every swing. He let out a ferocious snarl as his sword cut through a box, leavings its insides spilling out. He spun quickly, ducked, leaped, swung his sword straight down, and landed on his feet. As he dove to the left, the box he flipped over split in half. With a final thrust he paused. Gerik closed his eyes. He could sense the others staring at him. He breathed deeply, walked towards his sheath, and sat down. All the boxes he had moved around him were cut up.

He looked at Fletcher, Nzingha, and Izyan “What’s happening?”

“I wanted to talk to you alone” Fletcher told him.

Nzingha stared at Fletcher suspiciously.

“Well the young lady and I are going to go get supplies” Izyan told them. He led her out of the room “Let’s let them get it all off their chest now that your brother is calm” Izyan told her.

Author

TX

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Yo whats up people! I'm a 19 year old class clown from Texas. I've recently gotten into writing and I'm trying to get better at it. I'm better at telling stories orally, but hey I got start at some po.. more..